the official Dwayne Wade <<<<<< you thread

^ Not working for me. Is that Teletovic airballing 3 consecutive shots?

And here I thought Dani was hyped for the 80's (I should have known that he is all about the 60's/70's) - had to hit myself with the instant face-palm.

Not sure why it didnt work first time.

Lakers v Celtics definitely going to watch it. It's obviously not the same rivalry it was but it's a interesting dynamic considering the struggles of both teams.

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8924289/kobe-bryant-feels-pain-rajon-rondo-boston-celtics

Real good Kobe interview talking about the Celtics, rivalry, Rondo, how the NBA is too friendly now, etc.

Zealous wrote:Lakers v Celtics definitely going to watch it. It's obviously not the same rivalry it was but it's a interesting dynamic considering the struggles of both teams.

I agree. I think the fact both are struggling gives it a new dynamic. Just a shame so many players will be missing...Gasol, Howard, Rondo...

PP and KG vs Nash and Kobe in the battle of the old guys

Cool Kobe interview btw, he is getting much more talkitive as he sees the exist coming...and obviously he even less afraid to be frank.

He today also basically told Howard we aint got time for your injuries..man up and tough it out

Howard talking about Kobe and Shaq had 3 years before a title...Kobe aint got 2

dmize wrote:http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8924289/kobe-bryant-feels-pain-rajon-rondo-boston-celtics

Real good Kobe interview talking about the Celtics, rivalry, Rondo, how the NBA is too friendly now, etc.

I don't see a problem with being friends with other NBA players.. I don't think they want to win any less than the older generation

Swagg wrote:

dmize wrote:http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8924289/kobe-bryant-feels-pain-rajon-rondo-boston-celtics

Real good Kobe interview talking about the Celtics, rivalry, Rondo, how the NBA is too friendly now, etc.

I don't see a problem with being friends with other NBA players.. I don't think they want to win any less than the older generation

This is an interesting debate. I dont agree with you though.

I agree they want to win, but I dont think they all go to whatever measure it takes to do it.

Last year, nobody said or did anything to Lebron. They let him have his way and nobody really put up a fight outside of the game.

I agreed with Skip on that, playing against his "workout buddy" KD was much easier for him.

Do you remember when he was on the Cavs?

Deshawn Stevenson for Washington was in his face, talking crap and it did have an effect on him.

And nobody can tell me, what KG did to Melo didnt have an effect on him. It clearly rattled him.

Back in the old days, there was an added edge..being good enough to win wasnt enough, you have to be thick skinned enough too..I dont think thats the case anymore.

And also as fans, I think most want it to be almost like a gladiator thing and many of the older players feel the same.

The want nothing to do with you, they want to crush you and your team.

The chummy chummy stuff just looks lame.

Kobe:

“We don’t have time for [Howard's shoulder] to heal. We need some urgency.

“[Howard] has never been in a position where someone is driving him as hard as I am, as hard as this organization is. It’s win a championship or everything is a complete failure. That’s just how (the Lakers) do it. And that’s foreign to him.

“When you think about it, there aren’t many organizations that look at it that way. There are only two that can really honestly say that’s what they live by — Los Angeles and Boston.

“We don’t have three years. We’ve got this year.

“Dwight worries too much about what people think. I told him, ‘You can’t worry about that. It’s holding you back.’ He says, ‘OK, OK, OK,’ but it’s always hovering around him. He just wants people to like him. He doesn’t want to let anyone down, and that gets him away from what he should be doing.”

Read more at http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-bledsoe-thriving-ignoring-rumors-2/#4QMK3CY02VF6YyuX.99




Dwight :

“That’s his opinion. That’s it. He’s not a doctor, I’m not a doctor.

“I want to play. I mean, why wouldn’t I want to play? But at the same time, this is my career, this is my future, this is my life. I can’t leave that up to anybody else because nobody else is going to take care of me. So, if people are pissed off that I don’t play or if I do play, whatever it may be, so what? This is my career. If I go down, then what? Everybody’s life is going to go on. I don’t want to have another summer where I’m rehabbing and trying to get healthy again. I want to come back and have another great year. That’s what I want to do.

“Last year I wanted to prove and show people that I can play through injuries, but the back is something serious"

Deshawn and LeBron hate each other, it goes back to when Deshawn was with the Wizards and that whole Jay-Z 'blow the whistle' thing.. That's different, there are still certain players that hate each other around.. There always will be

Just because you're not trash talking doesnt mean you don't want it bad enough

Barkley and Jordan were best of friends and they faced off in the '93 finals and went at it, just like LeBron and KD..

I think the friendliness gets a little over exaggerated.. Plus look at Westbrook and CP3, two of the meanest duded in the game.. They would probably kill their own mother to win a championship lol

Thats pretty different, because Barkley and Jordan were not friends in that same way. They didnt hang out together, or work out together...they knew each other and had great times during all star games and Olympics..but when Barkely went against Jordan it was hell, they were trash talking, hard fouling and all sorts.

The friendless didnt extent to the court...it seems like it does now. KD just sat there and played the game of basketball with Bron, with no talk, no nothing. I get it, its not his style....but maybe that a weakness to be honest.

TI dont think many of todays players could stand up to Jordan. Kobe, Rondo, Peirce and some other wouldnt bow down to him...but better players, Durant, Melo (maybe better than Kobe at this point), Lebron...I think all 3 would get rattled and taken out of their game by him.

I agree, there are some guys who still keep it running...CP3, Westbrook, Rondo...but it still lacks some of the edge.

I am going to miss Kobe, KG and some others..not just because of their game, but their attitudes towards winning..its ruthless. Howard, Lebron, some others...they want to win of course, but I dont see that same desire.

And from a spectator point of view..it was much more fun watching the Lakers and the Kings..those 2 teams really hated each other with a passion...same with the Jordan vs the Pistons in those days...

I get what your saying, trash talking doesnt mean you want it more....but its about what lengths your willing to go to win.

A classic example is Bill Russell and Wilt...best friends, as close as it gets in the NBA world..Russell came to Wilts house and had naps

But what happened? Wilt thought Bill would be chummy chummy with him out on the court...Wilt thought it would a nice fun game...when Russell was out there hard fouling him and roughing him up, it took him out his game (though as great as he was, Wilt still put up special numbers).

Bill even went on to criticize his friend for "not playing through injury"..more attempts to get into Wilts head...from there they didnt speak for many years.

I use this example just because it shows how far players were willing to go for years just to win.

Now, it feels like they all want to win...but they arent willing to upset their friend to do it.

My jaw hit the ground when I heard Dwight Howard "cried in happiness" for Lebron when he won a title....I somehow didnt picture Ewing doing the same when Jordan was busy winning his.

Dunk contest

Gerald Green, Jeremy Evans, Gerald Green, Eric Bledsoe, Kenneth Faried, James White and Terrance Ross.


J-White to take this, think he still got the hops and I read some interviews, he has no interest in shitty gimmicks and says he has dunks never seen the ASG before.

I love trash talking don't get me wrong, I even do it sometimes while playing.. But I don't mind players being classy and letting their game do the talking also

Shaq and Charles drafting their Rising Stars team.

Lol @ Irving not getting picked until 3rd. Shaqs team is ridiculous though. Irving, Lillard, Drummond.

edit: Glad Ross got in the Dunk Contest. Darkhorse pick.

The Franchise wrote:Dunk contest

Gerald Green, Jeremy Evans, Gerald Green, Eric Bledsoe, Kenneth Faried, James White and Terrance Ross.


J-White to take this, think he still got the hops and I read some interviews, he has no interest in shitty gimmicks and says he has dunks never seen the ASG before.

Ross is my outside favourite.

KG is a legend. 25,000 points and a bunch of other huge career stats. Respect.

EDIT: Here's the actual stat from a tweet

@SeanGrandePBP: With his 25,000 points, 10,000 boards, 5,000 assists 1,500 blocks and steals, Kevin Garnett joins...no one. He’s all alone.

I think I finally get why Boston are on a winning run. Most of their team are hustle guys not really a natural talent team. Losing Rondo must of been the shot in the arm the Celtics needed to get serious, everyone seems to be giving that extra effort that a team on a winning run needs.

Holy sh*t, The C's just completely shat on the Lakers in the 3rd quarter. Just made their last 13 out of 14 shots.

6-0

The Celtics have a tough schedule coming up though so we'll have to see how they do when they can't depend on Rondo to unlock great defences for them. They're playing great basketball right now though no doubt.

That sequence at the end of the 3rd quarter by the Celtics

Terry 3
Airball leading to a Green dunk
Green swats Jamisons layup off the glass
Pierce drills a 3

they couldn't miss

Not looking good for the Lakers, they better beat Charlotte because they're in for a spanking on Sunday

The Celtics crushed them..holy hell.

The way they move the ball without Rondo is amazing...the energy on defence...its funny what losing your best player can do.

KG

Howard might aswell have not played, no use at all.

Kobe was playing solo-gun slinger without Gasol...he made some crazy shots but in the end, got little help and more importantly, you cant beat a team shooting the ball like that.

Swagg wrote:Not looking good for the Lakers, they better beat Charlotte because they're in for a spanking on Sunday

Who they got Sunday? You?

They will probably beat you

You play down to your competition.

Zealous wrote:

The Franchise wrote:Dunk contest

Gerald Green, Jeremy Evans, Gerald Green, Eric Bledsoe, Kenneth Faried, James White and Terrance Ross.


J-White to take this, think he still got the hops and I read some interviews, he has no interest in shitty gimmicks and says he has dunks never seen the ASG before.

Ross is my outside favourite.

Ross is a good choice.

But when you got someone like White you can windmill from the free throw line.....tough to beat.

The Franchise wrote:

Swagg wrote:Not looking good for the Lakers, they better beat Charlotte because they're in for a spanking on Sunday

Who they got Sunday? You?

They will probably beat you

You play down to your competition.

The Lakers are still a big franchise with big name players.. Plus it's a nationally televised game

I.e. a spanking is in effect